"I read a book one day, and my whole life was changed." - opening line of The New Life, by Orhan Pamuk

Sunday, November 11, 2018

THE MILKMAN IN THE NIGHT, by Andrei Kurkov

Written in the tradition of Soviet magical realism, (e.g.,  Bulgakov's classic The Master and Margarita), The Milkman in the Night offers a wacky and sometimes rather incoherent and at times genuinely funny journey through the world of post-Soviet Ukraine, including a sleepwalker who has a nocturnal affair and unknowingly joins a cult, a murder, a taxidermied dead man , and a "killer" cat addicted to anti-fear medication. It is true that characterization is rather flat, but three families are followed as their fates unexpectedly intersect in unpredictable ways. The ending is satisfying if a bit pat. For some reason, lactation is a central theme. Not a masterpiece but good fun and an engaging read.

For a review of the book from Financial Times, click here: https://www.ft.com/content/eb94d60c-b6b3-11e0-ae1f-00144feabdc0


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